Garment tag fixing and marking device



July 18, 1944. E. L. BAILEY 2,353,636

GARMENT TAG FIXING AND MARKIN G DEVICE INVENTOR. L L, LEY BY Patented July 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT TAG FIXING AND MARKING DEVICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and useful improved garment tag fixing and marking device that is particularly adapted for use in the dry cleaning industry for affixing and marking tags on garments that are to be cleaned, whereby their identification is assured.

An object of the present invention is to provide an exceptionally simple and inexpensive machine of the character specified by combining a conventional hand-operative, stapling machine and a conventional hand-operative, numbering machine and relatively connecting the two machines together in a manner for enabling them to be operated in synchronism.

Another object of the present invention is to arrange the numbering machine in an inverted position underneath the stapling machine and to provide means for operating the handles of the two machines in opposite directions, whereby the numbering of the tag and stapling the tag to the garment is accomplished simutlaneously.

Another object of the invention is to provide an arc-shaped bearing cap onto the end of the marking machines handle rod and to operate the handle by a fulcrumed lever having a roller on one end portion thereof that is applied against said cap, the other end of said lever being connected to a foot pedal positioned underneath the entire device.

Another object of the invention is to connect the handle of the stapling machine to another foot pedal that is positioned underneath the device and in proximity to the first mentioned foot pedal, whereby both pedals can be operated simultaneously.

Another object of the invention is to provide a transverse slot through the base of the stapling machine and in proximity to the stapling area and to position the marking end of the numbering machine underneath said slot whereby a tag can be inserted between said base and numbering machine and a portion thereof projected through said slot, thus enabling the tag to be numbered underneath the base and stapled to the garment above the base.

Other objectand features of advantage will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of the specifications and in which like numerals are 1 employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a vertical central, longitudinal, partlal. sectional view of the device, showing the relative positions of the stapling and number 55 ing machines and the means provided for operating the machines in synchronism, the front cover being removed and the position of the same illustrated in dot and dash outline;

Fig. 2 is a vertical end, partial, sectional view taken through the housing on lines 2-2 of Fig. 1,

looking in direction of the arrows, showing the machines in elevation, and particularly illustrating the front vertical relative positions of the stapling and numbering machines within the housing, for the purpose of clarity the central horizontal hinged cover being removed;

Fig'. 3 is a vertical sectional, fragmentary view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, illustrating how the frame of the numbering machine is suspended on the inverted channel-shaped base member that carries the stapling machine;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan fragmentary view of the front end portion of the stapling machines base and also shows the adapter guide plate positioned into said base;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional fragmentary view of the front end portion of the base and the adapter plate taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4, looking in direction of the arrows, the view being shown on a horizontal plane and illustrates how the tag is positioned to be stapled to the garment and numbered simultaneously;

Fig. 6 is a central vertical longitudinal enlarged sectional view of the adapter guide plate that is mounted onto the end of the numbering compartment l2 and a horizontal partition l4 dividing the two, said partition being substantially fastened to the walls of the housing in any suitable manner. The stapling machine is designated as a whole by the numeral I5, and comprising mainly, a stapling lever IS, a housing ll which carries the stapling and feeding mechanism that feeds staples to the staple-driving elemerit of the stapling machine, a base member it upon which said housing I! is pivotally secured as at l9 and is held in its upper normal position as shown in Fig. 1, the stapling lever being pivo ally secured to the housing I! as at 20, said lever I6 also being held in a resilient upper normal position with respect to said housing IT, said lever 16 and housing I! being adapted to be moved against the base member l8, as shown in dot and dash outline in Fig. 1, when pressure is applied against the top of the lever for accomplishing the stapling. The base member I8 i substantially fastened to the horizontal partition I4 by suitable bolts and nuts 2| which straddle the housing i? as shown in Fig. 2. The mechanical details of construction of the stapling machine have not been described as there are numerous well-known standard types on the market that can be employed, all of which are operated by pressing a resiliently controlled handle or lever such as described.

The numbering machine is any suitable selfinking hand-operated type that can be adjusted for printing a plurality of different numbers, the present form employed being shown as comprising a U-shaped frame 22 having a plurality of numbering wheels 23 that are mounted onto a crossrod 24 that extends through an inner frame 25 and is vertically slidable in the outer frame 22. The numeral 28 designated the resiliently controlled rod that is fixed to the inner frame 25 and functions to enable the numbering wheels to be manually forced to the printing position, said rod 28 slidably extending through the guide member 29 and is secured into the knob-shaped handle 30 that is slidable on said guide. The numeral 3| designates the lever that is provided for adjusting the numbering wheels when it is desired to change the number to be printed and the numeral 32 designates the inking member for automatically inking the numbers on said wheels 23. As the numbering machine employed can be any conventional type embodying various mechanical details further description of the details are unnecessary, as it is desired to utilize any suitable type that is operative by a reciprocative handle.

In the present illustration it will be observed that the base H! which supports the stapling machine is an inverted Channel-shaped member having an inner width conforming to the outer width of the U-shaped main frame 22 that carries the entire mechanism of the numbering machine. Suitable holes are formed through the sides of the channel member !8 and the end portions of the U frame 22,. and a pair of bolts 35 are provided and positioned through said holes for securing the numbering machine to said frame. An adapter plate, 36 having a pair of lips 37, is positioned onto the top end of the numbering machines frame 22 and the said bolts also extend through the lips 31 of the adapter plate for holding the various parts together as shown in Fig. 3, said adapter plate 36 forms a narrow space 34 underneath the base !8 for admitting the tag 39 and is provided with an opening 38 capable of receiving the series of numbers from the numbering wheels 23 to properly mark the tag 39 and has a guide portion 40 to guide the tag through the slot 4i in the base member [8, whereby the tag can be positioned onto the stapling area 42 of said base member as shown in Fig. 5. It will be particularly observed that a portion of the tag rests against the bottom surface of the base member l8 for receiving the numbering indicia from the numbering machine, while another portion of the tag rests on the top face of said base member at the stapling area 42 thereof and at which position it is stapled onto the garment 43.

Suitable means for operating the stapling and numbering machines simultaneously is shown as comprising a metal cable or wire member 44 for pulling the stapling lever l6 downwardly and a fulcrum member 45 for pushing the handle of the numbering machine upwardly as shown in Fig. 1. A hook or eye member 46 is riveted onto the outer top fac of the stapling lever l6 and a rod 41 serves to hold the cable member 44 thereto, the upper portion of said cable being formed Y shape in order to straddle the stapling machine and the lower straight portion extends through the opening 48 in the bottom of the housing and is provided with a foot pedal 50 that is substantially fixed thereto.

The outer end of the fulcrum 45 is enlarged and is formed with a hole 5| for facilitating connection to a metal cabl or wire member 52 that extends therefrom through the opening 53 to a foot pedal 54 and is substantially fixed thereto, suitable idler wheels 55 and 56 being provided for relieving tension on the cable. The fulcrum lever 45 is pivotally mounted onto a suitable bearing pin 51 that is fixed on the supporting member 58 which is secured to the bottom of the housing H! by suitable screws 59, a curved spring 60 functioning to resiliently hold the lever 45 in its normal position as shown in Fig. 1. The inner end of the lever 45 curves upwardly and is formed as at El to accommodate a suitable roller 62 that is revolubly connected thereto by a suitable bearing pin 63. the marking machines resiliently controlled han' dle rod 28 is threaded as at 64 and a bearing cap 65 is threadedly secured thereon, the knob 30 being recessed sufiiciently to receive the cap as shown in Fig. 1.

Any suitable means can be provided for sup porting the housing In, the present construction showing a pedestal formed of a substantial pipe 66 having a top bracket 61 rigidly secured to the bottom of the housing by a plurality of screws 68 and a bottom bracket 69 capable of being rig idly fastened to the floor. A slot 10 is provided through the lower front side of the pipe 66 and the bracket 69 for permitting vertical movement to be imparted to the foot pedals 50 and 54. The vertical end portions H and 12 of the foot pedals 50 and 54 respectively are formed half round, as

shown in Fig. 6, for enabling said end portionsmachine will be operated simultaneously. Also that the pedal 54 can be pressed down separately to operate the numbering machine and the outer handle 13 of the stapling lever 16 can be pressed down separately to operate the stapling machine.

The numeral '14 designates a horizontallyhinged door for facilitating access to the numbering machine, the numeral 15 designates the form and position of a removable cover which is illustrated in dot and dash outline as the cover is removed when the machinesare in operation. The numeral 16 designates an opening in the front wall of the housing [0 for enabling the lever 3| to be operated to change the numbers of the numbering machine.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention herewith shown and described are to The outer end portion ofv be taken as preferred examples of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A garment tag fixing and numbering device of th character described, comprising a housing, a stapling machine horizontally positioned in the upper portion thereof, said stapling machine including an inverted channel-shaped base member and an elongated stapling member pivotally mounted thereon, a numbering machine invertedly positioned underneath the stapling machine, said numbering machine including a vertical U- shaped frame and an elongated vertical numbering member slidably mounted thereon, the upper end portion of said U -shaped frame being mounted into the channel portion or said base member and secured to the sides thereof, a slot in said base for admitting the tag to the stapling area on the top face thereof, a guide member interposed between the numbering machine and the base in proximity to said slot for receiving and position" ing the tag to be stapled and numbered, and means including a foot pedal whereby the stapling member is forced downwardly and the numbering member is forced upwardly in synchronism for stapling the tag to the garment and numbering the tag simultaneously.

2. A garment tag fixing and numbering device of the character described, comprising a housing, a stapling machine horizontally positioned in the upper portion thereof, said stapling machine including an inverted channel-shaped base member and an elongated stapling member pivotally mounted thereon, a numbering machine invertedly positioned underneath the stapling machine, said numbering machine including a vertical U-shaped frame and an elongated vertical numbering member slidably mounted thereon, the upper end portion of said U-shaped frame being mounted into the channel portion of said base member and secured to the sides thereof, a slot in said base for admitting the tag to the stapling area on the top face thereof, a guide member interposed between the numbering machine and the base in proximity to said slot for receiving and positioning the tag to be stapled and numbered, a pull cord connected to the stapling member and projecting through the bottom of the housing, a fulcrumed lever positioned within the housing and adapted to impart vertical movement to th numbering member, a bearing cap secured onto the bottom end portion of the numbering member, a roller revolubly mounted onto the end portion of said fulcrumed lever and adapted to have rolling contact against said bearing cap, and means including separate foot pedals connected to said pull cord and fulcrumed lever whereby the stapling member is pulled downwardly and the numbering member is pushed upwardly in synchronism for stapling the tag to th garment and numbering the tag simultaneously.

EARL L. BAILEY. 

